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October 16, 2007
Hiking with Autism:
An Interview with Jeff Smith
American Hiking Society Staff at a trailhead in Montreat, NC
Jeffrey Hunter is the second from the right, and Jeff Smith is
next to him holding the map
Autism according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is a developmental disability that affects an estimated 1 in 150 births.
This week, a young man with autism hiking in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia became separated from his family, and as I type this, a search & rescue operation is taking place to find the young man. Here at American Hiking Society, we send our thoughts and prayers out to the family, and hope that this story has a happy ending.
Today, I interviewed Jeff Smith from Raleigh, North Carolina. Jeff is an avid hiker who also happens to be autistic. Jeff and I talked about hiking and autism. Both Jeff and I hope that this interview helps people understand a bit more about autism, and how many folks with autism are not only capable of hiking, but enjoy participating in all kinds of outdoor activities.
To listen to this 26 minute interview, please visit the link below.
Interview with Jeff Smith
(12.5 MB)
Multimedia | By Jeffrey Hunter | 6:01 PM
Comments
Jeffrey,
Great interview! I enjoyed meeting Jeff in Montreat and getting to spend some time with him on the trail. I truly admire your commitment to bring hiking to those with disabilities and hope you keep up the good work.
Vanessa
Posted by: Vanessa Vaughan at October 18, 2007 11:50 AM
